SELLING IS: A VIDEO GUIDE TO GROWING TRUST, RELATIONSHIPS, AND SALES

In this era of declining in-store sales, even the most talented sellers spend far too much time waiting around for customers to walk through the door. While there are numerous books, videos, sales seminars, and training tools out there, few are menswear-specific, and few get to the core of the problem: how to connect with customers on a personal level while communicating the value of wearing great clothes, in a limited unit of time, to effect more (and more upscale) purchasing.

BJ Stringham is passionate about selling. He grew up on the sales floor of UWM Men’s Shop, a 118-year-old family business in Salt Lake City, and sees first-hand every day how incorporating certain techniques can positively impact sales. “By forming and affirming relationships with customers, sales associates, store owners, and even tailors who depend on the work that the sales teams create, business will grow. Create a connection, establish, and reinforce the relationship; then the money comes.”

He gives an example of a guy wearing scrubs who walked into the store a couple years back, wanting to buy grey socks ($22). A poorly trained associate immediately grabbed the requested socks and headed to the point of sale. BJ’s brother, Brandon, was on the floor and could tell there was potential beyond a sock sell. He politely interrupted the transaction, suggesting that, because the man was in good shape, he’d look great in a certain hybrid sport coat that had just arrived. Flattered by the compliment, the guy tried on the jacket, and ended up spending about $3,000 that day, and tens of thousands since. “The customer needed socks but wanted to feel like a million bucks. Poorly trained associates are leaving thousands of dollars on the table, and worse yet, missing opportunities for lifelong relationships,” BJ maintains.

To those who insist that it’s just about hiring the right people, BJ counters that the right people are hard to find and that top sellers at one store might not be in sync with the core values at another. “We hire people who seem personable, and aligned with our vision of service; we then train them in proven sales techniques and the nuances of menswear. Along with all the practical training, this program is very much about values.”

BJ also talks about authenticity. “While we hope our sellers buy into our beliefs, we don’t want them to echo language that they don’t normally use. We suggest they put our principles into their own words: we want our people to be themselves, not memorize sales pitches…”

BJ strongly believes that if store owners keep their knowledge to themselves, their business, and the legacy they’ve built, will end when they retire. “This program is a roadmap to the future for retailers. At UWM, our family members are all ‘off the floor’ and our employees are now running things in our locations. I’m proud of how well they’re doing, allowing me to get to my kids’ games and do some water skiing rather than spend all day every week in the store. Training employees to portray your company in the manner you’ve built is crucial to growth, succession, or simply propelling your business to the next generation.”

Among the topics that Stringham includes in his recently launched 90+ video series: Body Language- First Impressions (4:41), Body Language- Eye Contact (2:41), Connection- (3:40), How to Combine Connection and Product/Services- (3:52), Overcoming Objections- (4:43), Unrealistic Expectations- (2:56), Selling Top Down- (4:16), Justify Expensive Purchase- (4:21), Fit Basics- (7:49), Common Tailoring Issues- (10:25), Overwhelmed and Understaffed- (3:24). There’s also 15+ live demonstration videos with accompanying “behind the scenes” explanatory videos, on topics including: The Status-Driven Customer, The Condescending Customer, The Hard-to-Please Customer.

Does our industry really need another sales training tool? We asked Andy Mallor from Andrew Davis in Bloomington, Indiana, one of Stringham’s first clients. “BJ has done an incredible job creating an exceptional sales teaching tool, not just for new salespersons but also for seasoned veterans. When we first discussed his program, I enthusiastically told him this is something he needs to share with the industry. We’re using Selling Is at Andrew Davis and can see results. It goes well beyond the basic selling seminar and creates positive discussions. The follow-up for the program with BJ and his team is more than I expected and creates a level of professionalism that goes beyond any similar program.”

Here are two sample videos from the training app:

Relate to Show Value

Vulnerability

For information and pricing: Contact BJ Stringham bj@sellingis.com